George C. Marshall, An Interview With a Strategic Leader

摘要

This paper is an imaginary interview with General George C. Marshall on his views of strategic leadership. General Marshall was a great strategic leader and through his skills he was able to help the nation through preparations for World War II, the difficulties of wartime, and through rebuilding after the war. He was a political soldier who was able to deal with Congressmen and Senators as easily as he dealt with soldiers and was in turn greatly respected by all. He had close working relationships with Presidents Roosevelt and Truman. He was a great visionary who foresaw the vital nature of air power and supported it fully. He realized the importance of joint operations and cooperation with the Navy and Air Forces and was merciless to any commander who could not work with other services. He was a great communicator and effectively communicated inside and out of both his military and civilian chains of command. He felt it was his duty to keep all informed, including the American people whose help he realized was critical to the war effort and to his ability to sell his European recovery plan. He was mentored by some of America's great generals and in turn passed on what he learned to his protege's. The impacts of General George Marshall's extraordinary strategic leadership abilities left a lasting mark on history. His skills and abilities ensured a trained, equipped and organized American army was victorious in Europe and the Pacific during World War II. The men who lead that army were, with few exceptions, hand-picked by General Marshall. His vision for Europe after the War that resulted in the Marshall Plan saved the Western Europeans from economic collapse and political turmoil. General Marshall was a great strategic military leader and statesman in war and peace.